Lucy Riddle and the Boy Who Lived

The Return to Hogwarts

Chapter Forty-Five

It was early morning. The sun was still rising, and the birds were happily chirping. Rays of sunlight were tickling Lucy's eyelids. Opening one eye, she stared around the room. She cracked her other eye open and yawned, stretching out her stiff arms and back. Hermione was lightly snoring beside her.

Lucy softly slipped out of bed and headed for the bathroom. First things first, she needed to clean herself up. With a nice hot shower, a pair of fresh clean clothes, and a good ten minute teeth brushing, she was ready. All the filth that harvested on her body was finally gone, revealing before the mission the girl who had great hygiene and a bright, white smile.

The others were all starting to wake up. They'd already retrieved a pair of fresh clothes and were waiting for Lucy to get out of the bathroom. Hermione went in next, letting the boys talk amongst themselves.

Lucy called over her shoulder as she headed towards the door, "I'm heading off the eat. I'll meet you three down there." Harry and Ron replied with a couple "okay"s and continued on with their conversation.

She greeted Tom with a happy, refreshed smile. He was behind the counter with a plate full of food in his hand. Tom handed it to Lucy, and she took it gratefully. She sat down at the table, wolfing the food. There were sizzling pieces of bacon, delicious scrambled eggs, two tanned, round pancakes, and a handful of golden hash browns.

Though Hermione was a great cook, this was something she really missed — normal food. Not rock-flavored soup with leaves, but just . . . this. She munched down on the bacon and heard a gasp, three thanks, and a few chairs scraping the floor.

"This . . . is . . . the best day . . . of my life," Ron said in between chews. He moans softly as he ate the scrambled eggs. Hermione nodded her head. Even she — the cook — was thankful to not eat her cooking again. Harry swallowed his food silently.

After they finished eating, and dragging Ron away from Tom who was begging for fifths, they headed to outside to Apparate to their school. Harry was getting more than anxious about the return to Hogwarts. The duration of the walk was him thinking about his invisibility cloak — the Cloak of Invisibility as some know it as.

He was related to one of the Peverell brothers — Antioch, Cadmus, and Ignotus. James Potter and him were descendants of Ignotus Peverell, and it wasn't hard to guess Ignotus passed the Cloak of Invisibility down the family line.

Xenophilius's letter never left Harry's mind. Harry had one of the Deathly Hallows, but what if Voldemort possessed the other two? He kicked a nearby pebble down the street. They were just a few feet from Hogwarts.

Lucy pushed open the door, and they all entered. It was empty. There was no chattering students walking to the Great Hall or Peeves messing around. The lot walked up to the Gryffindor Tower only to find all the students were sitting in the common room, quiet as a mouse.

Neville Longbottom was the first to notice them and shouted, "Harry! Hermione! Ron! Lucy! Welcome back!" The other students looked up and smiled at them, greeting them with high fives or hugs. When it everyone calmed down, Neville asked, "What are you guys doing here?"

"We're looking for something here," Lucy explained. "It's really important for us to find it. Why are you guys in here? Shouldn't you all be down in the Great Hall eating breakfast?"

"Well,"—Neville shuffled uncomfortably—"Snape's the new headmaster. He's locked us in here while he was out for an hour. All the Houses have to wait in their rooms while the teachers keep watch. We've all been here for about an hour or so."

"Do you know what Snape's doing?"

"Nope, no one knows where he's gone or why he left. We even heard some of the teachers talking, and they've all been wondering the exact same thing. Some think he's doing You-Know-Who's dirty work." Dean Thomas waved Neville over. "Well, I gotta go. If I find anymore information, I'll let you know."

"Thanks, Neville," Lucy replied, sending him a small grin. Neville returned the gesture and left. Lucy looked for the others and found them in a small circle by fire. Many students were staring at Harry, probably having read The Daily Prophet. "Guys, we have to find the whatever that Horcrux is right now. Some of the teachers think Snape's out with Voldemort. Come on."

They sneaked out of the common room and tiptoed into a vacant classroom. There they decided where they should visit first. Harry suggested, "We should think — who could've left something important here?"

"Harry," Hermione said. "Do you remember what Luna said? About her father trying to create a replica of Rowena Ravenclaw's diadem last year? What if that's it? It's been missing for decades. What if he found it?"

"It could be! But I think we should ask some of the ghosts — they never sleep and just wander around the castle. Let's ask Nick." Harry lead the group of the classroom and down a corridor in search for the Gryffindor ghost. It wasn't long before they found Nick, talking to another fellow ghost.

"Hey, Nick!" Ron shouted. "Mind if we have a quick chat with you?"

Nick shrugged. "Sure."

"Have you seen Rowena Ravenclaw's diadem?" Hermione asked. Her hair pulled into a quick, loose ponytail. There were some stray hairs that slipped from its hold.

The ghost besides Nick said, "You mean my mother's? Someone did get it. Last night."

"Who?"

"He was so charming! I remember the first time I met him. That was so long ago. We had so much in common. Oh, that young man. I wish he could've stayed longer though —"

Harry mumbled, "It was Tom Riddle, wasn't it?"

"Yes, you know him too?" Helena Ravenclaw replied.

"I've met him once or twice." Harry's mouth was in a tight line; his face was emotionless. "Thank you for that. We have to go. I'll see you later, Nick."

He walked away. Harry knew that moment that Voldemort reclaimed all the surviving Horcruxes, and there was no way for them to defeat him.